Wendy hospital report part 1.

[wendy6]

Not a good start. Arrived ay st Thomas as requested 4pm. Had to wait 4 and half hours for a bed. In mixed ward, despite being told would be all female. So gave curtain round me, as man across from me just staring at me. Other inmates very noisy, lots of moaning and wheezing and its very very hot. Staff dont seem to even try to be quiet. Is 1am now not much chance of sleep. Apart from all this I'm fine tired but heart still behaving 😳 I've been told I'm first on lust in morning. As the strike is going ahead all the top dogs are working tomorrow. Will be on good hands. All I have to do now is survive the very long night 😵 will do part 2 after Ablation.

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

Wow! A mixed ward??? Moaning inmates? Gosh, I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow!

[wendy6 in reply to SRMGrandma]

Thanks grandma. Its 6am now. Needless to say not slept a wink. Some very sick people here, sadly many with dementia so was a crazy noisy night alarms going off etc. Sun should be coming up soon which will make it more bearable. Looking forward to being knocked out.

[Jenbo6 in reply to wendy6]

Oh you poor thing. I've just woken up after a restless night and read your post. The nice thing about this forum is that there's usually somebody out there awake with you! Why did they put you on this horrible ward? Try to be positive and think that you haven't got the other patients problems and you'll soon be into your recovery. Good luck. Jenny

[SRMGrandma Volunteer in reply to wendy6]

Well, the sun won't yet be up for hours in here in California so I am hoping that everything went smoothly. I know that when I spent 4 nights in the hospital with my ablation there was a very noisy fellow across the hall. He only knew how to talk in an "outdoor voice" and even when my door and his door were closed it sounded like he was shouting in my ear. And all the bells and beeps and buzzers....a hospital is no place to get any rest, unfortunately! At least the cardiac unit in our local hospitals are all private rooms with private bathrooms. No fun no matter what. I'm thinking good thoughts for you and hope you will be well and home soon...Tell me how it went!

[seasider18 in reply to SRMGrandma]

And LUST

[tibetan36]

You sure your in the right hospital? lololololol!

[gwyn53 in reply to tibetan36]

Sadly hospitals are full of all walks if life.

Nurses just sound noisier than you think.

As for ,"inmates" wow! That's really not the word to use.

Although a great word.

I'm sorry its like this. Especially when your needing the treatment you are having.

I can only wish you well. And hope your not in for too long.

Keep your chin up. I like this site as as someone says there is always someone around to be there for each of us.

I understand the hospital thing... They are crazy places with crazy people. Chat with a nurse explain,that you feel uneasy and had no sleep I'm sure someone could help.

Nurses are wonderful and helpful people. Have a chat.

Best wishes.

Gwyn (a nursing assistant)☺

[Hidden]

Thinking of you Wendy......I've been on mixed wards in past, not always very pleasant. Wishing you well for today!

Sandra x

[shirljo]

I was on a mixed ward once and it was a tab embarrasing to wee on a commode with a chap so close by in the next bed! And they are never hunky men are they!! You will find this amusing one day ...... just not now! I hope it all goes well. Chin up x

[Yack]

That's really not nice! In the long term, though, it's the procedure that's important and it sounds as though you're going to be in very experienced hands. Do hope all goes well for you today and that you'll soon be back home.

[Carol70]

Just read your post. I do hope all goes well for you today. I felt compelled to write because St Thomas's is my local hospital and I cannot speak too highly of them. I attend not only for my AF condition but for glaucoma and other medical conditions. You were very lucky to get a bed at all , albeit one in a mixed ward as they are so stretched at the moment. I am not criticising your post, just putting my opinion across. My 91 year old aunt is at present a patient on one of the wards and she is extremely ill but her care is excellent. I expect you are in Becket Ward where I was last August when I had a pacemaker implanted. They were very over worked but my care was excellent.

I hope very much that your ablation is successful and keep us updated with your progress.

With best wishes

Carol

[Hidden]

In this day and age they still have mixed wards? Incredible. I hope everything goes well Wendy and that you're out of there as soon as possible, my fingers are X for you. You'll be flying around in no time.

Stay well

Avril

[Steve2810]

Good luck i know you will be fine though and your in the best place so try to relax, im glad i had my ablation, let us all know how you get on

[heather110]

I hope all goes well today. When I was on female CCU ward (not for ablation though) I was distressed because of all the noise at night. I told the doctor it wasn't helping to bring my HR down which is why they kept me in and he said I could have a sleeping pill. Might be worth asking. Just a thought. Hx

[wendy6]

Thankyou all. Bye the way I wasn't critising the staff, or insinuating the patients are crazy. Just was a crazy night. Waiting to go for procedure now.

[Elaine1951]

Our thoughts are with you. Xx

[jeanjeannie50]

I thought mixed wards weren't allowed now! Sorry, but I'd have a lot to say about that and just wouldn't be happy at all. When in hospital I always ask for a sleeping tablet as I'm not used to any noise at all at home. At least you shouldn't be there for very long. Wishing you well.

[jossikins]

I feel for you, Wendy, but It will all so quickly be over and just an amusing anecdote recounted by your rejuvenated self. I, personally, can't fault Tommy's. My husband has been in twice for angioplasty and I pulled every string I could when I had my ablation last year just for the privilege, as I saw it, of being in a modern hospital with a view!! I ended up having the procedure in Ashford, at the William Harvey, but done by one of the specialists from St. Thomas's. It was fine, as far as that kind of thing goes, but there certainly wasn't the same kind of urbane ambiance that I experienced when my husband had his procedures. Certainly no River Thames to reflect upon! It will be interesting to hear how it all went with Junior Drs. on strike, whether everything manages to run smoothly with no delays. The best of British luck!

[BobD Volunteer]

From lots of experience one never goes into hospital and expects to get much sleep unless medically induced. Coming from a rural place any town is noisy and the traffic in Chelsea was 24/7.. One Porsche ALWAYS goes past Royal Brompton flat out at about 1.30am! Been doing it for years. Probably the consultant going home lol.

People dying are quite noisy as well with gongs and bells going off all the time. When I had my cancer op the bloke in the bed opposite had dementia and kept shouting that he had missed his station . One in the next bed was "special needs" and did everything at 110 decibels and the one in the corner spent half the night fighting with the nurses because he wanted to smoke. Sleeping with drips and wires everywhere isn't easy either but just think how good life will be after it is over.

Rest when you get home.

Bob

[Hidden]

Jean, sometimes they have to have mixed wards in CCU for example but they try not to, at least in my hospital. I was in a mixed ward briefly a few weeks ago ( hours ). I have had some not very pleasant experiences in such places in days of yore.....when I accepted things I wouldn't now !!?

Sandra

[jennydog]

The mixed ward is not good. In the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital ablation patients are given single rooms but no en-suite. It's relatively quiet too although they do check on you hourly so sleep is not very likely where ever you are.

Fingers crossed for you.

[Mazza23]

Last time I was in hospital it was in a shared room the other ocupant was male so had to keep drapes closed all the time he had to use a bottle to pea so all night I could hear him pea it was a small room so only the width of a small chest of draws between the beds so I know how you felt

[Japaholic]

When I first went in with AF a guy with dementia kept getting up in the night, coming over to my bed and pulling his pants down. He didn't do anything, just stood the with his twig and berries hanging our. He'd shuffle up and down a bit until the nurses put him back to bed.

[Buffafly]

Some years ago when I had an angiogram I was the only woman in a Ward with three men. Those were the days when you had to lie completely flat for hours. Eventually I decided I really had to wee, whispered to the nurse who responded in a loud stroppy voice 'Well, you'll have to have a bedpan!'

Nowadays they are so discreet that when the nurse whispered that she had to shave me I couldn't hear her!

By now you will probably be 'asleep', sorry you had such a horrible night (been there) but I hope it will be worth it and it won't be too long before you are tucked up in your own quiet cosy bed!

[Mike11]

Let's be clear - mixed sex wards should not be happening as they were supposed to be eliminated some years ago. Once you're back home and recovered have a read of this and if you feel it appropriate make a complaint. Unfortunately after a good start too many hospitals are ignoring these rules.

nhs.uk/chq/Pages/903.aspx?C...

[Mrspat]

I had excellent care in St Thomas's three years ago. If you are on Beckett or Dalton wards, my experience was that although mixed, there were separate male and female four-bedded bays. There were no men and women in adjacent beds. So what constitutes a mixed ward? My local fairly new hospital has individual rooms for each patient but does not offer such good care or the same range of services. Some elderly people don't like the individual rooms apparently as they feel isolated.

[cjhs]

All the best,for your recovery,the problem is it is a hospital,I can never understand why it is noisy,and seems to get worse as darkness falls,even with Butler service,mood music,5 star menu,nothing would change as it is a hospital,and You will just be over the moon to ESCAPE.

My mum aged 85 was going down hill fast,with in 4 days of being with me she was up and running,, well almost.

I could not fault the care she had as will you,I feel ill just visiting,so go with the flow of time,plan for the future,and look foward to ESCAPE ha ha xxxx

[Gavvo]

Good luck for today x

[Dadog]

Don't know what it was back in the 50s but when night nurses came on duty, they were briefed by a matron and then lights were dimmed and a beautiful hush descended over the ward. The odd cough or groan was dealt with quickly and quietly and nurses passed by with a whisper of skirts and soft shoes. Ah well............times change!

[teach2learn]

Forgive my Yankee - ness for saying so, but the doctor strike, long waits for procedures, and the ward conditions you describe are exactly how I've always pictured socialized medicine to be. And we are rapidly heading that way, albeit through a side door, ourselves. Please tell me it is worth it anyway. I have a son-in-law about to launch into his own career as a general surgeon, and hope all his and family's sacrifices will be worth it someday. That said, you have lots of thoughts and prayers via this site pulling for you. At least you'll get some solid rest during procedure!

[PeterWh in reply to teach2learn]

No worries. It varies quite a lot depending which hospital you are in, which ward you are in and the particular operation type. Many of hospitals were built pre war and have been adapted. Even those built in the 60s and early 70s usually had quite large wards of up to 20 people though many have been split since when they have been refurbished. Also the word "ward" is used where Americans would use the word wing to indicate a group of rooms (some singles, some doubles and some quadruples). For instance where I had my ablation done (building was opened in 1962) the whole wing was only heart patients and there were both men and women on the wing but basically women one end and men the other. Even the rooms for four basically were normally only used by two people overnight. I arrived on at 07:00 in the morning as did another man. We both had our ablations on the day of arrival. I left around 17:00 the next day and he was due to leave around 21:00 (though when I left there was a 20% chance off him staying a second night). Then on the morning after my ablation two new patients arrived for their ablations. There are two very different schools of thought. One camp believes that people do better with company (in small numbers) as they socialise and others who only want to be on their own. When I was in a private hospital there were many who moaned that they wanted to be on a big ward (admittedly mainly older people in 60s plus)

[teach2learn in reply to PeterWh]

Thanks! Very reassuring. I've been somewhat confused by the widely varying experiences of my UK fellow sufferers. I just got told by an orthopedic doctor looking at my wrist he's not allowed to offer me the $12.00 brace he would suggest because Obamacare requires him to now use a 3rd party company that will charge the maximum Medicare allowable $60.00! Or I can find one on Amazon and pay my own $12.00. This is progress!?

[Christo4]

All this sounds awful thinking of you.

Christo.

[dedeottie]

Hope all is well. As you say, you will laugh at all the mayhem one day. Maybe not for a while though!! X

[rmclachlan]

It is possible that the mixed ward is the most efficient way to run the service in the temporay absence of junior doctors

[Lizty]

Really hope all goes or has gone well for you. Please let us know, because I have an ablation set up for St Thomas's next month.... or thereabouts.... and the hospital is a long way from where I live....

[Lainie2875]

Poor you, it's diabolical having to share a ward never mind it being mixed. Hospitals do not respect you're dignity or you're feeling I hope all went well love and you are safe in you're own bed tonight. I have everything crossed for a good result X

[prairie2016]

Reminded me of my night in hospital after my ablation procedure. Had a catheter of course and a roommate that coughed all night and the nurse' supply closet was opposite our room. Stuffed tissue in my ears and slept maybe an hour or two. I was in a University doctor staffed hospital built in the '60s-'70s in the USA.

Got the catheter removed the next morning and got to talk to the EP who did the procedure about mid-day. Said all went well but he had to modify the pattern because my esophagus was too close to the atrium.

Now three years later I'm AFib free.

Wishing you well.

[jennydog in reply to prairie2016]

Catheters are rarely used during UK ablations. I mention this because I don't want to alarm anyone scheduled to have an ablation. I would not have wanted to have an ablation if a catheter had been involved because I had a bad experience following the birth of my first son when routine catheterisation upset my bladder very badly.

[prairie2016 in reply to jennydog]

My catheter (post-ablation) was a urinary catheter so I wouldn't have to get out of bed overnight. It didn't cause me any problems once it was removed.

The ablation itself involved a separate catheter into my right groin to allow access to the heart for the instruments. It was removed at the end of the procedure and I had a big bandage plastered to the site. No subsequent issues with that wound. My procedure was in a U.S.A. hospital.

[wendy6]

Thankyou for nice comments. Procedure went well. Took 3.5 hours. No complications. Everyone was very nice and friendly. I got to see my consultant Prof Jaz Gill for a moment before I went under. He Said hello Wendy" I'm going to sort you out." I replied " make sure you do as its been bad" bit cheeky but then I went under. Needless to say didn't feel anything . Worse part was coming out of anesethic in recovery room. Feeling sick and desperately needing to pee. They gave me antisick meds which soon kicked in.

And had to use bedpan, whilst still not fully awake wasn't nice.

unfortunately no catheter and was difficult for next 4 hours when back in ward needing to pee every 15 minutes whilst lying using bedpan!! I had wounds on both legs groin. You remove your paper knickers when get there so why bother? Wound healed really well no bleeding. And the holes are small. They gradually raised my head to sitting up position over next 3 hours. By 6.30pm I was allowed out of bed and could use proper loo😊 I also had the TOE procedure under the gen anesethic so they could map my heart. Very clever they also took the Tim yo explain how with drawings. They didn't try to find or trigger my hots spots, don't do try his now as not so effective and takes too long. So they ablated in circle around each area. TOE after effect not as bad as expected. Bit sore was able to drink and eat no problem. So feeling ok, just need to try to sleep tonight. Will go home tomorrow after lunch I hope. Will post again tomorrow.

[prairie2016 in reply to wendy6]

Wendy, I too was nauseated coming out of anesthesia till the nurses gave me an antiemetic drug.

Glad things went well for you.